Chapter 64

Zhangsun Wuji was silent for a long time, then slowly spoke:

"Let the Crown Prince let me consider it; I will definitely give an answer within three days."

"Good!"

Li Chengqian didn't care whether Zhangsun Wuji agreed or not; if he agreed, he would do it, and if he didn't, he would do it anyway.

Today's purpose was just to mislead him. As long as he still believes Li Shimin is struggling, he will do his best to take action against Li Tai.

The struggle between the two sides is not yet intense enough, which is one of the reasons Li Shimin has made up his mind.

He believes Li Shimin dares not tell Zhangsun Wuji his thoughts, and Li Shimin will definitely plot against Zhangsun Wuji secretly.

In fact, Li Chengqian could have told Zhangsun Wuji directly, but if Li Shimin found out, he might really be granted a cup of poisoned wine.

When one is under the eaves, one has to bow one's head!

Before Zhangsun Wuji even returned home, he was summoned by Li Shimin. Without any pleasantries, he asked directly:

"What did Gaoming say to you?"

Zhangsun Wuji was terrified in his heart. Is the Emperor so wary of the Crown Prince? Even his whereabouts must be controlled at all times?

"Your Majesty, why must it come to this between father and son?

If Your Majesty wants to depose the Crown Prince, just depose him. The civil and military officials of the court will have no objections; why go to such lengths?"

Li Shimin looked bewildered. What did he do? He just asked what Li Chengqian said. Isn't that very normal?

"Wuji, what are you talking about? As a father, caring about his son, isn't that very normal?"

Zhangsun Wuji sighed: "The Crown Prince has already told me everything. You don't want the Prince of Wei and the Prince of Jin to lose their qualifications to compete for the throne, which is why you want to give the right to compile the book to the Prince of Jin.

Now that His Highness the Crown Prince's plan has been ruined by Your Majesty, why must you keep monitoring the Crown Prince's whereabouts?

His Highness the Crown Prince now only wants to preserve his life. Can Your Majesty not turn a blind eye to such a small request?"

"When did I ever say I wanted to kill Gaoming? Wuji, if others don't understand me, do you not understand me either?"

"I don't understand!"

Zhangsun Wuji smiled self-deprecatingly: "When Hegan Chengji framed the Crown Prince, the Eastern Palace had no reaction at all.

Now, for a small right to compile a book, the Crown Prince is like facing a great enemy, not hesitating to bear the reputation of harming the people just to purge the Eastern Palace.

If it weren't for a threat to his life, I really can't figure out why he would do this."

Having said this, Zhangsun Wuji bowed: "Your Majesty, the Duke of Chen is going on the eastern expedition, and there are people watching the Liangzhou troops.

The major aristocratic clans no longer support the Crown Prince; he has no possibility of ascending to the top.

For the sake of my sister, just pretend you don't know anything and let the Crown Prince go to Jiaozhi to be a wealthy man."

"What do you know? What do you know?"

Li Shimin roared: "Do you think the Crown Prince is a lamb? He said he has no chance, and you believe him?

I tell you, his ambitions have never changed. He purged the Eastern Palace not because he was afraid of losing his life, but because he was afraid I would know his actions.

His plans have already reached a hundred years into the future; the national policies of the Great Tang for the next hundred years are all in his study.

Believe it or not, even if he were demoted to a commoner, he would still raise an army to rebel.

If I don't strike at his confidence step by step, his life will be gone sooner or later.

Who do you think drove Chu Suiliang out of Chang'an? That was the Crown Prince's doing, and you all don't even know it, thinking it was Qingque. How ridiculous.

Is Chu Suiliang not on his way back to Chang'an, and did he not bring a monk into the capital?"

"Yes!"

"Hehe!"

Li Shimin sneered: "You all just go ahead and court death!

Now the Crown Prince has no capital, and no one will take him to heart, so he can arrange things calmly.

As long as you haven't decided the winner, his position as Crown Prince is secure.

Once he finishes his arrangements, let alone you, even I have no reason to stop him from ascending the throne.

If it weren't for the fact that the national policies in his study were too vast, and I was afraid he would be eager for quick success, do you think you would have a chance?"

At the end, Li Shimin roared again:

"You have no chance at all! I have long since asked to be the Retired Emperor!"

"Bang!"

Zhangsun Wuji fell to his knees, his face pale:

"Your Majesty! What kind of national policy did the Crown Prince make that makes you so wary?"

Li Shimin rolled up the memorial, stood up, and slowly walked to Zhangsun Wuji, looking down at him:

"From beginning to end, he never worried about not being able to ascend the throne. Hegan Chengji's rebellion was just to show me his attitude.

Even now, he still doesn't worry about not being able to ascend the throne; this is not arrogance, but confidence.

If I'm not mistaken, he should have made a deal with you, either related to the Liangzhou troops or related to the Prince of Qi."

"Your Majesty is wise; the Crown Prince wants the Liangzhou troops to enter Chang'an and become the Eastern Palace guards."

"And you agreed?"

"Not yet!"

"Good thing you're not stupid yet!"

Li Shimin sneered: "Did he use protecting his life as an excuse?"

"Yes!"

"Do you know that the Crown Prince trained a group of people in Guiyi Ward, and now this group of people has all disappeared, and only one scholar was found copying books in the Literature Pavilion?

Yuwen Ding, who delivered the letter to your mansion, is the leader of this group.

Believe it or not, once the Liangzhou troops arrive in Chang'an, they will disappear without a trace."

At this point, Li Shimin squatted down, his eyes filled with frost:

"Let me tell you one more thing: Hou Junji found hundreds of battle-hardened soldiers, and they are only loyal to the Hou family.

They are already on their way to Chang'an. These people are the real Eastern Palace guards; the soldiers of the Six Rate Guards are no match for them at all.

What do you think the Crown Prince is trying to do by doing this?"

"Re, rebellion!"

"Wrong!"

Li Shimin's eyes were full of coldness: "It's the same as before; he's telling me that if I insist on having my own way, he will make the Xuanwu Gate succession system play out in the Great Tang again.

But I think this is just on the surface; he must have other plans, but I can no longer see his actions and don't know what the plan is.

I will give you one last chance, otherwise, don't blame me for not giving Guanyinbi face."

Zhangsun Wuji's heart was in turmoil. He didn't expect that the current situation was truly a battle of wits between Li Shimin and Li Chengqian.

The struggle between Li Zhi and Li Tai was ignored by both sides; one was afraid the other's ambitions were too great and would ruin the Great Tang; the other felt the other was destroying his ambitions and would also ruin the Great Tang.

At this moment, Zhangsun Wuji no longer dared to hide anything and honestly repeated Li Chengqian's words, not even hiding the Pu'er tea:

"Your Majesty, do you think I should agree? Should Cui Zhiwen still be arranged in the Ministry of Rites?"

"Arrange it! Why not arrange it!"

Li Shimin returned to his seat and sat down: "Get up! Do as the Crown Prince said first; I have my own arrangements for the rest.

Just as Gaoming said, the position of heir must be chosen from Qingque and Zhinu, and they are not mature enough yet.

You should teach Zhinu more; taking him on the eastern expedition this time is also to take this opportunity to teach him more.

If their abilities are insufficient, Zhinu and Qingque will be like Gaoming, find a place to be a wealthy man, and you can also retire and enjoy your old age.

However, I have also made arrangements for you civil officials, so those things from before will not happen."

"Thank you, Your Majesty!"

"Retire now. Do not mention today's events to anyone."

"Yes!"

Looking at Zhangsun Wuji's departing back, Li Shimin sighed in his heart.

He lied about one thing: Li Chengqian was not without power; this power was enough to plunge the Great Tang into war.

It's just that Li Shimin doesn't know if Li Chengqian knows about this power and whether he will use it.

It is precisely because he is afraid of Li Chengqian making contact that he has been paying close attention to the movements of the Eastern Palace.